Driver charged in boardwalk hit and run had been robbed, police say

Matthew Vincent, 22, of Hammonds Plains is led into court Tuesday to face attempted murder and other charges from a car-pedestrian hit and run on a boardwalk on the Halifax waterfront Sunday evening. (STEVE BRUCE / Staff)

Police allege a Hammonds Plains man was robbed before driving his vehicle onto a boardwalk on the Halifax waterfront Sunday evening and deliberately striking one of the suspects.

Matthew Vincent, 22, has been charged with attempted murder, property mischief, assault, dangerous driving and failing to remain at the scene of a collision.

Vincent was arraigned Monday before a justice of the peace and remanded to the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth.

The Crown consented to Vincent’s release Tuesday in Halifax provincial court on a $50,000 recognizance with two sureties – his father and brother.

Police responded to a report of a hit and run on a busy section of the waterfront boardwalk near Bishop’s Landing on Sunday at 7:30 p.m.

Someone had driven a vehicle onto the boardwalk, striking a 19-year-old man before fleeing the scene.

The victim was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police arrested the suspected driver, Vincent, about two hours later at his home on Majesty Court in Hammonds Plains.

Ocean Lea Payne, 20, of Dartmouth is escorted into Halifax provincial court Tuesday for her arraignment on a charge of robbery. (STEVE BRUCE / Staff)

Through the course of the investigation, police determined that the driver of the car had gone to the waterfront to meet a woman he was dating.

While waiting in his car for her, two men he didn’t know got into the vehicle and robbed him. He believed that one man had a knife and the other had a gun.

The two men got out of the car and fled on foot on the boardwalk, which is when the driver followed them with his car, hitting one and then fleeing.

Sebastien Cyril Kafka, 19, of Dartmouth, who was the man struck by the car, was arrested Monday at about 5:20 p.m. at an apartment on Jackson Road. He’s charged with robbery, uttering threats, two counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, unauthorized possession of a firearm and breach of probation.

At about 9 p.m. Monday, police arrested Ocean Lea Payne, 20, and Morgan Andrew MacDonell, 23, both of Dartmouth, at another residence on Jackson Road.

Payne, whom the driver was going to meet, is charged with robbery for allegedly setting up the incident. MacDonell faces charges of robbery, uttering threats, two counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, unauthorized possession of a firearm and four counts of breaching bail.

Vincent’s bail order requires him to observe a 10 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew and refrain from driving or occupying the driver’s seat of any vehicle.

Judge Michael Sherar also prohibited him from having any weapons, possessing or consuming alcohol or drugs and having contact with Payne, MacDonell and Kafka.

Vincent will return to court Nov. 21.

Payne was released Tuesday on a $1,000 recognizance and placed on house arrest at an address on Prince Albert Road in Dartmouth. The rest of her bail conditions are similar to Vincent’s. Her case is due back in court Nov. 1.

MacDonell chose not to appear in court in person Tuesday, letting a duty lawyer represent him. He will remain in custody until at least his next court date, which is Nov. 2.